Definition

Noun: A stirrup pump is a portable, hand-operated pump used for firefighting. It typically consists of a cylinder with a piston that is operated by moving a handle up and down (reciprocating action). The pump often has a footrest or "stirrup" to hold it steady on the ground while in use, allowing the operator to use both hands to work the pump handle. It is designed to draw water from a bucket or other small source and direct it through a hose onto a fire.

Usage Examples

• The air raid warden demonstrated how to use the stirrup pump to put out an incendiary bomb.
• Before modern fire extinguishers were common, every household was advised to keep a bucket of water and a stirrup pump.
• The museum has a collection of historical firefighting equipment, including several stirrup pumps from the World War II era.

Advanced Usage

• The term is strongly associated with civil defense and historical contexts, particularly with preparing for fires caused by incendiary bombs during wartime (e.g., the Blitz in London).
• It can be used metaphorically to describe a basic, manual, or old-fashioned method of dealing with a problem.
  • In this digital age, their process is like using a stirrup pump to fight a forest fire.

Variants and Related Words

• Fire pump (n): A more general term for any pump used to supply water or extinguishing agent for firefighting.
• Hand pump (n): A broader category of manually operated pumps, which includes the stirrup pump.
• Reciprocating pump (n): A technical term describing the pumping mechanism where a piston moves back and forth.

Synonyms

• Hand-operated fire pump
• Manual fire pump
• Bucket pump (informal, as it was often used with a water bucket)

Related Idioms or Phrases

• No direct idioms feature the term "stirrup pump." Its usage is almost entirely literal, describing the specific object.

Noun

1. a hand-operated reciprocating pump; used in fighting fires